Conditions at Santa Cruz in March
March: The Pulse Starts to Soften
March is still solidly above average for Santa Cruz, with swell heights averaging 7.5ft (2.3m) and periods of 12.3s. The directional spread is very favorable: NW leads at 24.5%, WNW is 18.3%, NNW adds 14.8% and W contributes 6.4%, for a combined 64% of waves from the optimal quadrant. Although the most extreme XL swells are becoming less frequent, there are still plenty of 4.9-8.2ft (1.5-2.5m) waves rolling through, and the ocean is never flat.
The limiting factor is again wind, with ideal conditions only 16% of the time. The offshore easterly quadrant accounts for about 13%, but the northerly and north-northwesterly winds that plague summer are already starting to build (N 12.4%, NNW 19.1%). Air temperatures warm to 13.4°C on average (min -0.0°C, max 24.3°C), precipitation drops to 1.77 mm/day and water temperature holds at 14.5°C. The mornings will offer the cleanest conditions before the sea breeze kicks up.
Average Spot conditions at Santa Cruz in March
Swell history for March
Wind history for March
Swell quality
Analyze the groundswell consistency at Santa Cruz during March. Based on historical data, there is a % probability of groundswell occurring this month. The chart below provides a detailed breakdown of the average wave height distribution, offering deep insights into the swell quality and surf potential you can expect at Santa Cruz for your next trip in March.
Ground swell
Ground swell by size
Wind conditions
Evaluate the wind and swell alignment at Santa Cruz for March. Our analysis shows that favorable offshore or side-shore winds coincide with surfable swell approximately % of the time. The accompanying graph illustrates the average size distribution of waves during these optimal wind windows at Santa Cruz.